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This used to be a market right here.
Now there are a bunch of small shops.
Coming back here, I feel a sense of familiarity;
it's like coming back to my hometown.
My parents, my younger brother, and I—
the four of us—used to sleep on the same bed.
We lived in a 100-square-foot room.
Every day we would eat some pig lard and soy sauce
or just plain rice.
I remember some days, we would only live on five cents per day.
We would often borrow money from others.
Because my father loved to gamble,
very often, he would end up with many [creditors].
These [creditors] would come to our home looking to be repaid.
This would make my mother and us so embarrassed and sad.
When I was done with elementary school,
my mother told me that since we were poor,
I should quit schooling and go to work with her.
She said, "You need to come work with me so you can help your family
and put your younger brother through school."
I was so sad at the time.
I felt it was unfair.
I didn't really like my life and environment then.
I hoped for a change.
This generated a great desire within me.
I hoped I could improve my life
through education.
When I see this school again,
I remember when I attended night school
to learn English.
It was very difficult because time was tight.
However, I worked very hard,
which filled me with hope,
and I was full of dreams for the future.
I was very fortunate to learn about the gospel.
The gospel taught me what life could be.
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
one of our main teachings is that families are eternal.
These teachings change people's hearts.
People come to understand that the greatest happiness
comes from parents working together to rear children.
Now I am employed as a social worker.
This is very much because of my childhood experiences.
I really want to help people
overcome the same problems I did.
It is very fulfilling to do this work because
through this opportunity, I have been able to help
the people that really need help,
to help them change their lives
and help them achieve their goals.
I am a daughter,
a wife,
a mother,
and a social worker.
I believe that through working hard
and making right choices,
we can change our lives.
I am Ling Wai-yee,
and I am a Mormon.